Zhou Yu's Train is a 2002 Chinese film, based on a novella by Bei Cun, directed by Sun Zhou, and starring Gong Li and Tony Leung Ka-Fai. The title refers to a poetic compilation published by the character in the movie played by Leung. The story starts at a book signing event and leads to the memories of the two lovers encounters. Zhou Yu maintained the relationship by commuting on the train, hence the title of the movie.

Synopsis

The story is set in Chongyang (Hubei province, China) and Sanming (Fujian province). Zhou Yu, a ceramics artist from Sanming falls in love with the poet Chen Qing, who lives in Chongyang, a town several hundred kilometers from Sanming. During the train trips between Sanming and Chongyang, she also meets Zhang Qiang, a veterinary surgeon. Gong Li plays two characters who only differ by their hair styles, namely Zhou Yu and the short-haired Xiu. The film is pieced together with many flashbacks in no particular chronological order. The relationship between the two women is unclear until the end of the film.